Firefighters turn down review into pay and conditions

Firefighters' leaders last night rejected a Government move aimed at avoiding a "deeply damaging" pay strike when they refused to get involved in a review of the service.

The fire service minister Nick Raynsford announced the review, which he said provided an alternative to industrial action. He urged the Fire Brig-ades Union (FBU) to take part, warning that industrial action would put people's lives at risk.

But the FBU responded that it did not support and would not get involved in the review, which it described as "completely unnecessary". The union will press ahead with a special conference next week and is expected to launch a ballot for the first national strike in the service for 25 years.

Union leaders have rejected a 4 per cent pay offer and are seeking an increase close to 40 per cent, to take the salary of a qualified firefighter to £30,000.

Mr Raynsford said: "This independent review will be an excellent opportunity to consider the issues facing the fire service, including pay.

"All parties will be given the opportunity to submit evidence and to participate."

The review will consider pay levels in the fire service "taking full account of the wider context of pay arrangements, levels and their affordability across the economy".

FBU general secretary Andy Gilchrist said the review was not independent, adding: "There is no mention of how any recommended changes, including any proposed increases in pay, would be funded.

"The FBU has spent the last 25 years modernising the UK fire service. We do not need a so-called independent review to tell us that professional firefighters work 42 hours a week, risking their lives to save the public, and then have to claim benefits to make ends meet."

The TUC general council expressed full support for the FBU and said the formula by which pay has been set for the last 25 years was out of date.